Swell Sculpture Festival - Gold Coast QLD

If you live near the Gold Coast, this weekend is your last chance to see the Swell outdoor sculpture festival along Pacific Parade, Currumbin.

This years festival features 50 sculptural pieces which blend into the grass, dunes and sand between Currumbin Rock and Elephant Rock.

The Swell Sculpture Festival was started 6 years ago by two mothers, Natasha Edwards and Kylie Mitchell-Smith, who wished for an art space that was easier to take children to than a gallery. Whilst the sculptural pieces aren't aimed at children, we only noticed one "do not touch" sign, and for the rest of our morning joined swarms of school children touching, climbing on, and contemplating sculptural materials, processes and intentions.

On the final Sunday of the festival, 21 September, there is going to be a large kite installation for kids at 2pm led by Ruth James. The festival is free and highly recommended.

Images from top to bottom: Scorpsi by Daniel Clemmett, Grass Cubed by Shelly Kelly, Alchemy by Susie Olsen and Forest Meets the Sea by Clyde Watts and Dean Nikijuluw

The Clockwork Forest - Sydney Theatre Company

A mysterious guest. A girl. A journey. A surprising revelation.

Last week my son ( aged 10 years) and I went to a performance of The Clockwork Forest by Doug Macleod at the Sydney Theatre. This wonderful production is full of clever humour and themes that cover love, friendship and death without patronizing the younger audience.

Morton is a young boy who lives alone at the edge of a dark forest with his four prized clockwork animals. When a huge storm destroys his hut and scatters his possessions, Morton sets out to locate his treasures. On his quest, Morton makes a friend, learns how to defeat monsters, remembers how to smile and finds that there may be more to life that clockwork animals.

Gabriela Tylesova's design is absolutely beautiful and lets children use their imagination and takes them into the many elements of Morton's quest.

I thought some of the younger children may have been scared by some of the scenes but after the performance whilst eating cupcakes I overheard many children sharing their delight in the scary bits.

Windmill Performing Arts and have excelled yet again in bringing quality work to families.

Recommended for children aged 8 and above, and their families.
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Sydney Theatre Walsh Bay
Friday 12 September 7pm Saturday 13 September 1pm & 4pm Sunday 14 September 4pm Saturday 20 September 1pm & 4pm Sunday 21 September 1pm

Ticket Prices:Adult $32Concession/Child $25
EnergyAustralia Family Ticket $99 (2 adults & 2 children, additional child $20)
Sydney Theatre Bookings: (02) 9250 1777
For a list of Schools Performances, visit the Education website.

COFA Spring Fair - Workshops - Sept 20th

The College of Fine Arts are opening their doors for their annual Spring fair.
This is a great day out for the family - Lots of interesting and fun things to see and do.

Workshops for Children
Photoshop & t-shirt printing *5 - 12 years *material fee $15
Felting *5 - 10 years *material fee $ 10
Pupperty for children *5 - 10 years *material fee $10
Painting with light *8-12 years *material fee $20

There are also workshops for grown ups that range from pinhole photography to life drawing.
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For more information visit: COFA
September 20th 2008 * 10am until 4pm * cnr Oxford St + Greens Rd Paddington NSW
To book for a workshop and for further information, please contact Xueting via email. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the workshops.

Sydney Children's Festival | CarriageWorks 27 Sept - 11 Oct

Sydney Children’s Festival is Sydney’s first official arts-based Festival for kids. It’s spans all artforms with contemporary and indigenous dance workshops, puppetry, visual arts and cartooning workshops, photography competition for kids, art exhibitions by kids, and a range of free, interactive installations and activities around CarriageWorks, plus two massive weeks of performances, special events and talks by popular children’s authors.

The focus of the festival is all on the child as artist and audience – it focuses more on encouraging the child to participate, rather than simply entertaining. Many aspects of the festival also focus on shared experiences between parent and child.

Festival highlights include
MEET DINOSAURS At The Petting Zoo meet Erth’s awesome prehistoric creatures, from cute baby dinos to teeth-gnashing giants. Ancient life-like dinosaurs are alive and mostly friendly (!) in this fun, educational and unique performance event that will delight children of all ages.

THE MEGAPHONE PROJECT
An installation of 24 megaphones...They are large, move, make a sound and a re very red, but they need you to make them come to life! Find out what happens to your voice when you lose it, and follow the sound trail of the big red megaphones as they migrate through the space.

WORKSHOPS
Hip Hop with Nick Power - Contemporary dance with Kate Champion - ATYP Documentary and Television reporting - Cartooning with Matt Ottley - Circus and Aerial skills - Visual arts workshops with Bess O'Malley from Pine St

COMPETITION
Calling all budding photo-journalists! The Festival are searching for the most talented up and coming snappers to win the chance to be an Official Festival Photographer… win a workshop with leading Australian photographer, Lisa Tomasetti, and your images exhibited at the festival.
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27 September - 11 October 10am - 4pm Mon - Sat
CarriageWorks 245 Wilson Street Eveleigh http://www.carriageworks.com.au/
To see a complete schedule of the festival visit the Official Festival Website.